batchelder



Jan 17 192s 1 E, BATCHELDER 6 INDICATOR- Filed Dec. 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Shet l IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 17, 1928. v

E. BATCHELDER 2 INDICATOR Filed Deo. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Edmund ac/:e/dew.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented dano i7, 155223 llhll'll) ST'ELES errar erica EDMTINE BATHE'LDER, OF NEW YORK, N'. Y., .ASSIGNOR 0F Gll'EfllIi? TG'JESSE C.

FISHEL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

INDICATOR.

Application led December 5, 19%3.

rlhis invention relates to pressure gauges.

for tanksg hoilers and analogous uses and Vthe primary object to provide an accurate and very sensitive gauge which can he adjusted to register the quantity olf liquid in a tank hy the air pressure in the gauge which is caused to he proportional to the depth of liquid. y

Another object oit my invention 1s to provide a, pressure gauge including. a sensitive diaphragm and an. adjustable dial or indicator operating mechanism constructed and arranged so as to ailiiord a coinparatively Wide range of movement without sacrificing accuracy or sensitiveness when applied to tanks or boilers et various dimensions or other devices 'Where a reading of the various pressures is required. and particularly in fifa indicati. `the quantity ot the liquid contents hy i ie pressure derived trom the depth ol.E liquid Within the tank.

it li'iufther object ol? my invention is to` provide a pressure indicator having a novel and improved adjustable lever operating mechanism constructed and arranged tor cooperation with a very sensitive diaphragm, including a pressine corrector or pump connected in the line between the tank and the .indicating mechanism proper so as to permit 'forcing the liquid out oi the conlined pressure air chamber or pocket Within said tank and thus remove any expansion or contraction incident to variation ot temperature so as to lgive a correct and accurate reading on the indicator dial oven though used on tanks ol different capacity. y v

iiuother ohject of my invention is to provide a pressure gauge or indicating mechanism o't the character ahove specilied, particularly applicable for connection with automobile gasoline tanks et the conventional. type or applicable for connection with a vacuum gasoline s (f'stem such as is known in the art as Stewart vacuum tank aud gravity feed system for carlniretors.

To enable others skilled in the art to so fully con'iprehend the underlying Yfeatures ot my invention that they may embody the saine in the various modifications in struc-` ture and relation contemplated, drawings depicting a preferred form have heen annexed as a part oi? this disclosureand inV Serial No. 678,763.

through the dial casing shovvingfthe inechanism and its relationto a gasoline tank of an automobile, 'for instance.

Figure 2 is a tace view of the dial With dotted lines indicating the lever adjustment.

Figure 3 is a rear view ot the llever adjuster.

Figure 4l is a view oil? the curved operating arm in its relation to the spring return shaft and indicator dial.

Figure 5 is a similar view ofthe arm and its segmental gear vand pinion on vthe sha'lt.

Figure 6 `is a vievv `similar to Figure l showing the invention as applied to avaeuum tank gravity feed system.

FigureV 7 is a detail view oi arpuinp or pressure correcting device used in connection with the vacuum tank system and operated hy the same forces. Y i

Reiter-ring to the i'orm oit the invention and arrangement as shown hy Figure l, 5 designates the support which may he the dash board `or a. motor vehicle and 6 a drumshaped casing or housing provided With a itlange 'l' for attachment to the dashboard by the screws 8 orether fastening elements as shown. A tank or receptacle 9 is provided with a'pressure tuhe l()7 the latter beingV open at the'hottoin and closed at the top heingsecured to said tank. 'lhe tube is connected hy a lead or pipe ll near the top thereof, so that when the said tuhe l() is in use Within the tank, the air pressure Within the tuhe l0 will he proportionate to the height of theiiquid inthe tank. The lead or pipe l1 is connected to a T-iitting l2 to which a second lead 13 is attached, the opposite end ot 'the lead i3 being connected to a sleeve 14 hy a nut l5. l locking collar 16 secures the threaded sleeve lll in position, it heilig noted that the sleeve extends slightly within the interior and centrally oit the rear Wall i7 of the casing Connected to the` inner end ot the sleeve les, l have provided a 'llexililcn hollow diaphragm 18 having a series ot circular corrugations 19, said diaphragm having an opening at 20, so that the pressure Within the tube l0 and the leads ll, 13, Willact directly upon the interior ott the diaphragm to expand and contract the same as the pressure rises Yand falls When liquid is introduced or vvithdravvn from the main tank 9. Y

In `order to indicate the internalrpressurc adjustable L-shaped member 23, the arm ofV Which extends at ri ght angles through a slot 24 in the plateand through'an aligned slot 25 of a front graduated dial 26. rllhe meinber 23 is further provided with an outwardly lstruck .ear 27 to Which 'a bell crank lever 29 is pivotally connected at 28, one end of the bell crank lever 29 being adapted to .contact with the diaphragm 18 at a point 'centrally thereof and in line with the opening 20 so that any pressure exerted will directly effect the movement of the bell crank lever. rllhe opposite end or arm 3l of the bell crank lever 29 also extends through the plate 22 and engages the curved arm 38, mounted for partial rotation on a shaft Sil, between Athe plate 22 and the dial 26 above referred to. lt should be noted that the slot 25 and the complementary slot 24 permit the adjustment of the L-shaped member 23 about projection 23A which consequently varies the length of the effective lever arm of the curved arm In other Words, the adjustment ofthe plate 23,` which carries the bell crank lever arm 31, varies the position of the ybell crank lever arm 3l with respect to the axis of the curved arm 33, thus by a givenv movement causing the latter to be raised to different degrees-for the purpose presentlyl to appear and be described.

@n the shaft 34, I have provided a toothed segment 36 which is in mesh with a pinion 37 on a second shaft 38, also held rbetween the plate 22 and the `dial 26 and' concentrically thereof. The shaft 38 supports the indicator pointer 39 rotatably movable across the graduated dial 26, said shaft being returned in its movement by a coiled `hair spring 40 attached thereto and to a stud Ill in the plate. Consequently any rotation imparted to the shaft 84C by the movement of the curved arm 33 Will actuate the' shaft 88 and the indicator pointer 39 carried thereby on the face of the dial.

While l have shown a certain graduated dial secured Within the casing, I contemplate the substitution of variously graduated dialsY for different depths and Vcapacity of tanks. For instance, if it is desired to install a pressure gauge of this character in an automobile having a l() inch tank, l contemplate using ajdial graduated on a scale of lO units. However, my mechanism is so arranged th at a correct ,and accurate reading Will be had regardless of the graduations on the dial, because by adjusting the plate 28 yand consequently, the leverage and movement imparted to the curved arm 33, I am enabled to attain the correct reading. If the plate 23 is adjusted so that the bell crank lever arm 3l will engage the extreme outer end l2 of the curved arm 38, it will be seen that a lesser rotation is imparted to the shafts Sel, 38, and consequently v/ill cause the indicator pointer 89 to move a lesser `distance about the face of the dial` than it ivould if the bell crank lever arm 3l were adjusted nearer the pivotal shaft 34. As the adjustment is changed so as to move the bell crank lever arm 3l toward the shaft 34;, a greater rotation will be had and consequently, the pointer will move to a more distant position on the face of the dial as above described.

By reason of the loss of air due to leakage and varying volume due to changing temperatures, as by extreme heat and cold, it is necessary to correct the action of the device and consequently, .l have provided a hand ol erated pump flo whereby air may be forced through the pipe 5l and pipe ll into the tube l0 so as to drive out all the liquid therein and permit of an accurate registeringon the dial. Of course, some of the air Will pass into the pipe 13 and will oscillate the pointer 39 back and forth but this does no harm. rlflie vmechanism to correct for the varying ten'iperatures consists of a hand pump in the form of a cylinder Ll5 having a reduced internally threaded extension e16 for connection with an externally threaded sleeve 4l? secured Within the dashboard 5 and shown at a point adjacent the easing of the gauge. The plunger head 48 and a spring held valve i9 are positioned Within the cylinder 45 so that when the plunger i8 is actuated and the valve head unseated, air will be forced into the sleeve 47 against the spring held ball valve 50 in the outer end thereof and will pass into the lead. 5l and consequently to the leadv ll and tube l0, forcing before it all liquid in the tube l0 until it is emptied and the further air pumped simply passes out at the open bottom of the tube l() and bubbles up through the liquid in the taiilf; 9. lt is evident that the pressure ol the air required to empty the tube 10 is that needed to balance the column of liquid in the tank 9 above the bottom of the tube l0 and that since the samel pressure in the leads a'lilects the diaphragm 18 and its registering mechanism, the gauge ivill show this pressure. The fuel fluid in the tank 9 is drawn from the tank as needed and to permit this, the tank vented freely to the atmosphere at 9 as is also the tank 6l as indicated vat Gla, Figure 6. To draw out the fuel, the outflow pipes in the vacuum system must pass down tothe bottom of the tank in a self evident manner, as shown in Figure G and terminate preferably slightly above the bottom so as not to draw sediment or water; also to terminate on 'a level with the open bottom of tubes l0 or 73 so its reading will lll] correctly indicate the fuel available for use. [is the fuel level lowers, more air will bubble out and the reduced pressure show on the gauge. Pumping is not again needed until leakage or temperature variations occur. The ifi-ont of the casingl 6 is provided with a threaded collar 53 having a tansparent panel 54. which construction is common in otthis character.

ln Figures (i and .Y oi"A the drawings, l have shown my invention as applied and used in a vacuum tank and gravity feed system, known in the art as the Stewart vacuum tank and gravity feed system tor carburetors. Quite briefly, the system includes the vacuum chamber 60, which draws the gasoline by suction from the main tank (il through the lead or pipe 62 and permits the gasoline to iiow past valve 63 to the gravity tank 64 mounted high enough to teed the carburetor by gravity, and hence through the carburetor, (not shown). The action ot these vacuum devices is so well known, it seems unnecessary to describe it here further than to say that the interior of the tank 60 connected' to an intermittent source oi suction such as the inlet manifold of an engine and that at each vacuum impulse, the liquid fuel is raised troni the main tank 6l through the lead 62 and suitable check valve, (not shown), into the tank 60. During the intermission between the vacuum impulses the fuel flows out ol the tank G0 through the flap check valve 63 and fills the tank G-l. Vlhen this is 'filled te the level of the liquid oi the tank (it), the action continues until the level in both tanks is so high that the float F is carried up and shuts oli further flow ot' fuel. lhenthe level is lowered by use, the action again starts due to the falling oit the ioat F and the opening ot the passage controlled by the heat, l make use oit these vacuum inipulses in the tank GG to correct and reset my depth gauge, using the nieehanism now to he described.

in 'the head ot the vacuum tank 60 is a conn' ,tion ('35 leading to a cylinder 6G similar to the cylinder 45 described in connection with the :torni shown in Figure 1. Within the cylinder G6, l have provided a plunger (3T and spring (58 to the head oi' which is nonnected or attached a packing washer 69 so that when air is drawn outI ot the vacuum tank, the piston G7 is drawn inwardly against the resistance of the springV 68 and is followed by air through the valve 7 "When the vacuum is released, this air will be forced by spring' 68 through the valve opening 70 in the head of the cylinder 66 against the spring held valve 7l at the end of the lead or pipe 72 extending to the top o1 the tank 61 and gauge tube 741. The tube 73 may be positioned at one corner ol. the tank as in Figure l instead of centrally as in Figure G.

the door or lapper The Vitting 73a of the tube 73 provides means for connection to the pipe 74e leading to the casing ot tue gauge whereby the internal pressure iu the tank 61, and consequently, the depth ot the gasoline may be registered in the same manner as heretofore described.

lt is evident that the device shown in Figures 6 and 7 will be continually corrected for variations by the continuous `action of the vacuum (suction) operated pump 66. This is sometimes a matter ot some importance because automobile fuel tanks are often placed at the extreme rear ot' the vehicle and the pipes are necessarily quite long. ln a warm ga age, the air expanc s and bubbles out giving' a correct reading-` while doing this, but

as soon as the car is taken out into cold air, the pipes are chilled contracting the air and allowing the fuel to rise in the tube 10 to replace this contraction. rEhe tube l0 is therefore made large and the air pipes small et the gauge sections i3 and ist. This lessens the temperature uctuations and Lalso th e pump impulses so that the gauge remains itairly steady when the pump is being used.. rLillie hand operated plunger 48 carries on its inner end a common cup 50a which serves both as inlet valve and packing. This cup is complen'ientary to outlet valve 50, while the falve is not a check valve, being carried by the plunger 4S, but serves to limit the return oi the plunger 41S to its initial normal position and also to resist aleak of air from the tank 9 through valve 50, which, .being` lightly seated may not hold so certainly as the valve 49 with its stronger spring.

While l have illustrated and describedmy invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. 'l therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the Jform ot' the details et' construction or otherwise altering the arrangement ot the correlated parts without departiirg` 'from the spirit oi. the invention or the scope ot the appended cl aiins.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is by the samecan be moved to various arcuate p positions.

A pressure gauge comprising a casing havingun inlet'J and Communicating with a cloSed iefseivoii' oi container, a lexible diaphragm mounted Wit-bin the casing at the end oi said inlet, a sationaiy support withi in the easing, an adjustable member pivotelly connececl centially of Said support, a bell crank level' onl'iiecl by Said adjustable member :incl having one end thereof con- Vmeilfig wii'li ,'lzlie diaphragm, a pail' of Spin- 10 alles mounted Within the casino' aouivecl arm mounted on one of the spindles and engage able by the opposite end of the bell crank lever, an indicating pointei1 operable upon the rotation of the second Spindle and gearing between the said spindles for oscillating the pointer upon the actuation O the bell omni; le' 7e1'.

ln estiniony Wliereo'i l affix my signature.

EDMUND BATCHELDER. [Le] 

